Metallic creel.



W. 0. ALDRICH.

METALLIC GRBEL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1912.

1,104,286, Patented July 21, 1914.

WITNESSES i INVENTOR WILLIAM O. ALDRICH, OF WHITINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSIGNOR TO THE WHITIN MACHINE WORKS, OF WHITINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ACORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

METALLIC CREEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September '7, 1912.

Patented July 21, 1914. Serial No. 719,071.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VViLLIAM O. ALDRICH, a citizen of the United States,residing in hitinsville, \Yorcester county, hilassachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture ofMetallic Creels, of which the following is a full, true, and concisespecification.

This invention relates to improved means for mounting porcelain orsimilar skewersteps in the metallic creel-plates of spinning andtwisting machines, and provides a novel construction for this purposewherein the holders for the skewer-steps can be made and assembled inthe creel-plates with the least expense of time and labor, as more fullyexplained below, forming suitable sockets, securely interlocked with thecreel-plate, into which the steps may be placed and held in any suitablemanner.

In the drawings forming a part hereof, Figure l is a transverse sectionof a spinning frame creel of which the creel boards are formed by sheetmetal plates, the skewers and bobbins being shown in position betweenthem; Fig. 2 is a full size vertical section of a porcelain skewer-stepmounted n one of the creel-plate perforations; Fig. 3 is a similar viewof the same parts disassembled; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of theholder of Figs. 2 and 3; and Fig. 5 is a modified form, showing aninversion of the holding fingers.

The creel taken for illustration is formed of three creel-plates, eachmarked 1, and made of sheet metal. The lowermost plate is carried on themain frame of the machine in about the level of the roller beams 2,while the two upper plates are carried on uprights 3, being preferablyadjustable thereon so that the vertical distance between the plates canbe accommodated to the height of the skewers 4. The latter are journaled1n upright positions between the plates and form rotary supports uponwhich the bobbins 5 are placed. The bases of the skewers are stepped onthe two lower plates, in bearings or skewer-steps made of glazedporcelain or similar hard or polished material so that the skewers canrotate with the greatest freedom as the yarn is drawn off the bobbins.Their upper ends are suitably held in holes or bushings provided forthat purpose in the two upper plates. The bearings or skewersteps aredesirably mounted so that their concaved tops are about flush with thetop surface of the creel-plate, the latter bein correspondinglyperforated, so that they present the least obstruction to the cleansingof the creel, and the step-holders involving the present invention areparticularly adapted to this purpose although they may be used or formedotherwise if desired.

The improved step holder consists of a tubular member 6 made of thinsheet metal with its upper part bent or turned at right angles to itsbarrel-shaped body forming a rim-flange 6 which is adapted to seat uponthe margin of the perforation in the creelplate and support the bodywithin and projecting below the perforation. The bottom of the body isclosed or partially closed by an interior ledge or shelf 6" which formsa seat upon which the skewer-step 7 placed in r the holder, may rest.The bottom ledge 6 is so formed that an opening is left, herein termedan ejector-hole, through which a suitable instrument may be introducedto eject the step. The side wall of the tubular barrel of thestep-holder is slitted at one or more points around its circumference,four in the case shown, to form one or more fingers or tabs which areintended to be bent outwardly underneath the margin of the creel-plateperforation, as shown in the drawings, so that together with therimflange (5 they will serve to interlock the holder with theperforation in a positive manner, preventing its removal in eitherdirection. In the form illustrated by Fig. 5 the fingers, there marked 6are cut so that they bend from a point near the top of the tubularbarrel and are intended to be bent or curled upwardly toward or againstthe plate; in Figs. 2, 3 and at, the fingers 6 bend from a point nearthe bottom and are bent outwardly when made so that when the holder isthrust into the perforation, they spring or snap over the edge thereofinto the interlocking position, the fingers in this instanceconstituting spring prongs which automatically form a positiveinterlocking connection.

The perforations in the creel-plates are ordinarily and mostconveniently formed by punching, and in such case the bur or rough edgeleft by the punching tool does not have to be dressed or smoothed downwhen used with holders such as above described, since the edge will inany event be covered and concealed by the rim-flange and the connectioneffected by the fingers is independent of, and quite indifferent to, thecondition of the punch-cut edge of the perforation. The mounting for thestep has, thus, a specially neat appearance though produced with economyof labor, both of which are primary objects of this invention. Thestep-holders are placed in the creel-plate perforations, as they comefrom the punching machine and whether automatically or manuallyinterlocked therewith as above explained, are immediately ready toreceive the skewersteps, the latter being dropped or placed in them andheld in place by means of putty or in any other way that may be foundsuitable. The support thus provided for the skewer is afforded by therim-flange of the holder which is of ample strength to prevent itspassing through the perforation when loaded or knocked, and when thestep requires renewal it may be ejected from the holder without removingthe latter, in the manner above explained. The holder can also beremoved, if desired, by squeezing the fingers together so that they willpass through the creel-plate perforation.

I claim:

1. In a creel, a perforated metallic creelplate and tubular step-holderstherein having rim flanges adapted to seat on the margins of theperforations of said plate and each having one or more fingers suitablydisposed thereon to engage the under side of said margins,

2. The combination in a metallic creel, of means for mountin the skewersteps therein comprising a tubular skewer-step holder supported in aperforation in the creel-plate, a. supporting ledge in the bottom ofsaid holder forming a seat for the step and having an ejector hole, andone or more fingers or prongs adapted for interlocking said holder wi hand within the perforation.

3. The combination of the creel plate With recesses or perforationstherein and means for holding a skewer step, comprising a tubularmember, means on said member for positively and automaticallyinterlocking with said recesses or perforations by the insertion of themember into said recess, and a skewer step seated in said member andindependent of the said interlocking means.

4:. In a creel, in combination, a metallic creel-plate having aperforation, a stepholder within the same and one or more spring fingersadapted for positively interlocking said holder with the saidcreel-plate by the insertion of the former in the perforation thereof,and a skewer-step supported in said holder.

In a creel, in combination, a metallic creel-plate having a perforation,a stepholder within said perforation and provided with means adapted forpositively interlocking with said creel-plate by the insertion of theholder in the perforation thereof, and a skewer-step supported in saidholder independent of said locking means.

6. In a cred, a sheet-1nctal plate forming a creel-l'nau'd or rail andprovided with a perforation, in combination with a tubular member havinga flange adapted to seat on the margin of said perforation and one ormore spdng fingers adapted to spring over and interlock with the underside of the margin of said perforation when thrust therein, and askewer-step seated in said member.

7. As a means for mounting skewer-steps in metallic creelqilates, atubular member of thin sheet metal havii'ig its upper part formed as arim flange adapted to seat on the m: rgin of a creel-plate perforationand its tubular body or barrel portion formed with a bottom ledge orwall adapted to form a seat for the skewer-step and having outwardlybent fingers cut from the sides of said barrel portion, said fingers andrim flange being relatively positioned on the barrel portion to embracethe margin of the creel-plate perforation between them.

8. As a means for mounting skewer-steps in metallic creel-plates, atubular member of thin sheet metal having an outwardly bent upperportion constituting a rim-flange adapted lo seat on the margin of acreelplate perforation with the body or barrel of said member projectingbelow the creelplate, the lower end of said member being formed with aninterior supporting seat for the ske .ver-step contained therein andhaving an ejector hole adjacent said seat, in combination with outwardlybent fingers on said tulfmlar member adapted to engage with the underside of the creel-plate.

9. In a creel, a perforated metallic creelplate, a step holder adaptedfor insertion in perforation thereof, and formed of a tubular barrelportion with integral fingers out in the side wall thereof and bentlaterally whereby the ends of said fingers form positive retaining meansfor said holder within its perforation.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presenceof two Witnesses.

WILLIAM O. ALDRICH.

Witnesses:

CHESTER C. LAMB, OSCAR L. OWEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

